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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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Microfiche 

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CIHM/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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1 

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24X 


28X 


32X 


re 

16tails 
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1 

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empreinte. 

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d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

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ACADIA   IN  THE    REVOLUTION 

Before  the  treaty  of  1763,  which  followed  the  fall  of  Quebec,  the  whole 
country  east  of  the  Penobscot  River,  in  Maine,  was  held  by  France  under  the 
name  "Acadia."  This  territory  has  since  been  divided  into  three  distinct 
political  states.  Each  of  them  was  at  one  time  or  another  the  scene  of  the 
operations  here  briefly  narrated,  and  the  French  term  is  therefore  made 
use  of  as  more  conveniently  indicating  the  scope  of  the  action. 

At  the  period  of  the  Revolution  that  part  of  Acadia  now  known  as  New 
Brunswick  contained,  according  to  the  best  estimate,  about  one  thousand 
inhabitants.  The  only  points  of  settlement  were  the  St.  John's  River,  and 
the  vicinity  of  Chignects  and  Chepody  bays ;  the  first  included  in  the 
county  of  Sunbury,  and  the  latter  in  Westmoreland.  Adjoining  the  latter,  on 
the  south,  is  the  county  of  Cumberland,  in  Nova  Scotia,  unquestionably  the 
most  productive  part  of  that  province.  Here  stood  the  two  rival  forts,  Beau 
Sc/o/ir{aher ward  Fort  Cumberland)  and  Lawrence,  separated  from  each  other 
by  the  little  stream  of  Missiquash.  The  former  was  built  by  the  French  in 
1750,  to  defend  the  region  against  the  invading  English;  the  latter  was 
built  by  the  English  soon  after  as  a  counterpoise  to  the  French  stronghold,  re- 
ceiving the  name  of  the  commander  of  the  force^  Major  Lawrence.  Bcait 
Siy'onr  has  long  been  abandoned  as  a  military  station,  while  the  walls  of 
its  younger  rival  have  been  levelled  by  the  hand  of  time. 

"  So  universal,"  says  Kidder,  "  was  the  sympathy  for  the  Americans  ii  the 
county  of  Cumberland,  that  in  the  townships  of  Truro,  Onslow,  and  London- 
derry only  five  persons  would  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British 
government,  and  therefore  their  members  were  excluded  from  the  House  of 
Assembly.  In  Kings  County,  N.  S.,  a  large  liberty  pole  was  cut  and  made 
ready  to  be  hoisted,  when  the  arrival  of  a  detachment  of  Rangers  put  a  stop 
to  the  movement." 

Halifax  was  at  this  time  the  only  port  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  af- 
fected by  the  tea  tax,  and  this  as  well  as  other  Eastern  cities  had  merchants 
and  civil  officers  who  uttered  their  protests  against  the  measure,  and  op- 
posed the  importation  of  the  article,  thereby  losing  royal  office  and  favor. 
A  "  tea-party"  was  called,  but  was  prevented  from  meeting  by  a  merchant 
who  was  invited,  but  who  proved  more  subservient  to  the  tyranny  than  ex- 
pected. (Murdoch's  "  History  of  Nova  Scotia,"  vol.  2,  p.  522  et  seq.)  But 
the  port  was  expected  to  become  the  chief  military  station  of  Great  Britain  in 


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ACADIA  IN  THE   REVOLUTION 


487 


America,  and  the  government  patronage  was  too  powerful,  so  that  the  spirit 
of  freedom  was  practically  extinguished  there  before  the  war  broke  out. 

In  Cumberland  County,  however,  as  in  the  more  western  colonies,  a  regu- 
larly chosen  Committee  of  Safety  assumed  the  direction  of  military  opera- 
tions, and  on  November  13,  1776,  petitioned  the  General  Court  of  Massa- 
chusetts for  aid  in  men,  arms,  and  ammunition.  The  inhabitants  of  this 
county  were  principally  Scotch-Irish  families  and  their  descendants,  num- 
bering one  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventy-six.  In  consequence  of  this 
patriotic  action  a  strong  force  was  sent  into  the  region,  and  many  citizens 
were  forced  to  fly,  finding  refuge  chiefly  in  Massachusetts  from  the  control 
of  a  cruel  government. 

One  of  these  patriots  was  John  Allan,  a  member  of  the  Assembly  ;  and 
it  is  to  him  more  than  any  other  that  we  owe  the  preservation  to  the  Union 
of  all  of  Maine  east  of  the  Penobscot.  He  was  subjected  to  the  pain  of 
ler.ving  his  wife  and  children  behind  him  in  his  flight,  and  in  spite  of  his 
efibrts  to  rescue  them  they  remained  for  two  years,  some  in  imprisonment, 
others  under  espionage,  and  all  in  great  distress. 

Among  the  more  fortunate  refugees  was  Jonathan  Eddy,  who  found  a 
quiet  home  for  his  family  in  Massachusetts.  He  soon  obtained  from  the 
authorities  of  that  commonwealth  a  commission  as  colonel,  with  permission 
to  make  a  military  expedition  against  Fort  Cumberland  {Beau  Sejour),  in  the 
expectation  that  the  province  would  be  delivered  from  British  rule. 

The  military  operations  in  the  northeast  began  by  the  capture  of  the 
British  armed  schooner  Margaretta,  by  a  party  from  Machias,  in  June,  1775. 
This  was  the  first  vessel  of  the  enemy  captured  in  the  Revolution.  The 
Margaretta  had  come  to  Machias  to  convoy  a  cargo  of  lumber  to  Boston  for 
the  use  of  Gage's  army.  The  people  had  recently  erected  a  liberty  pole,  of 
which  they  were  quite  proud,  but  it  was  an  offence  to  the  master  of  the 
Margaretta,  and  he  ordered  that  it  should  be  taken  down,  on  penalty  of  a 
bombardment  of  the  little  village.  A  town  meeting  was  at  once  called,  to 
meet  on  Saturday,  when  the  people  voted  not  to  take  it  down.  Some  in- 
fluential persons  persuaded  the  irate  captain  to  wait  for  another  meeting,  to 
be  held  on  Monday. 

On  Sunday,  while  on  shore,  the  captain  himself  narrowly  escaped  cap- 
ture, and  the  next  morning  his  convoy,  manned  by  the  young  men  of  the 
place,  pursued  the  schooner  out  to  sea,  and  after  a  short  but  brisk  engage- 
ment took  her  with  all  her  armament  and  supplies  unharmed.  She  was 
manned  by  forty  men  all  told,  and  her  armament  consisted  of  ten  six-pound- 
ers, twenty  swivels  and  two  wall-guns,  though  not  all  were  mounted  ;  she 
was  also  supplied  with  an  abundance  of  small  arms,  ammunition,  and  pro- 


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488 


ACADIA    IN   THE   REVOLUTION 


visions.  The  crew  of  the  kimber  sloop  consisted  of  about  thirty  men  and 
boys,  only  twenty  of  wiiom  had  muskets,  the  rest  being  armed  with  pitch- 
forks and  axes  ;  their  only  cannon  was  a  wall-piece. 

The  victors  received  the  thanks  of  the  Massachusetts  Congress,  and  two 
of  the  leaders  were  at  once  commissioned  to  cruise  against  the  enemy.  A 
portion  of  the  armament  of  the  prize  was  transferred  to  the  wood-sloop, 
which  was  now  named  The  Liberty,  and  she  at  once  proceeded  to  cruise 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Jeremiah  O'Brien.  It  was  reported  that 
the  British  schooner  Diligent  with  a  tender  was  on  the  coast  making  sur- 
veys, and  a  few  days  later  O'Brien,  in  The  Liberty,  and  Fos^^er,  the  other 
commissioned  officer,  in  the  wood-sloop,  encountered  the  vessels  they  were 
in  search  of.  Stephen  Smith,  a  bold  fisherman,  with  a  fe  v  other  men  in  a 
boat,  had  already  surprised  the  captain  of  the  Diligent  while  away  from  his 
vessel  with  but  a  small  attendance,  and  captured  them.  The  Diligent  and 
her  tender,  therefore,  fell  an  easy  prey  to  the  two  Machias  privateers. 

The  next  incident  in  this  quarter  was  the  attack  upon  old  Fort  Freder- 
ick, at  St.  Johns,  by  Smith,  in  a  sloop  manned  by  Machias  men.  The  fort 
and  barracks  were  burned,  and  a  brig  laden  with  provisions  for  General 
Gage  was  captured. 

Tho  encouragement  that  these  successes  gave  to  the  patriot  cause  in  this 
region  enabled  Colonel  Eddy  to  obtain  men  for  his  ambitious  undertaking. 
At  Machias  he  secured  the  services  of  Captain  West  and  about  twenty 
others,  with  whom,  in  September,  1776,  he  proceeded  to  Passamaquoddy 
Bay,  where  he  was  joined  by  a  few  more.  From  thence  he  continued  to 
St.  Johns,  ascending  to  Maugerville,  the  chief  settlement,  some  six./  miles 
up  the  river.  The  earliest  English  settlement  on  the  St.  Johns  was  at 
Maugerville,  which  was  colonized  from  Essex,  Massachusetts,  in  1762. 
"  The  party  amounted  to  near  twenty  men,  besides  two  families  that  took 
passage  from  Ncwburyport,  May  16,  i'/Oj,  Lo  St.  John's  River "  (Chubb's 
"  Sketches  of  New  Brunswick,"  p.  loi).  At  this  time  the  number  of  fami- 
lies in  this  place  was  about  one  hundred,  and  all  were  earnestly  devoted 
to  the  American  cause. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1776,  the  citizens  of  St.  Johns  had  assembled  in 
the  meeting-house  at  Maugerville  and  chosen  a  committee  "  to  make  im- 
mediate application  to  the  Congress,  or  General  Assembly  of  Massachu- 
setts Bay,  for  relief  under  their  present  distressed  circumstances.'"  At  the 
same  meeting  a  series  of  resolutions  as  positive  and  extended  as  those  of 
any  New  England  town,  were  framed  and  adopted  ;  and  then  the  whole 
assembly  subscribed  to  them.  These  resolutions  formed  a  complete  decla- 
ration of  independence.     In  memoranda  accompanying  the  official  copy  of 


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ACADIA   IN   THE    REVOLUTION 


489 


I 


the  resolutions,  it  is  stated  that  "  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  have  signed, 
and  that  twelve  or  thirteen  have  not,  nine  of  these  being  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river." 

There  joined  Eddy's  party  here,  one  captain,  one  lieutenant,  and  twenty- 
five  privates  of  the  English,  and  sixteen  Indians.  His  whole  force  now 
amounted  to  seventy  two  men.  Early  in  October  thiy  set  off  for  Cumber- 
land in  whale-boats  and  canoes,  arriving  at  Chepody  Bay  in  a  few  days 
without  having  met  with  any  adverse  circumstances.  Here  they  captured 
a  lieutenant  and  thirteen  men,  who  had  been  stationed  on  Chepody  Hill  to 
give  intelligence  of  the  approach  of  patriot  forces  and  privateers.  Proceed- 
ing to  Merancook,  they  were  joined  by  a  number  of  French.  A  march  of 
twelve  miles  through  the  woods  brought  the  company  to  Sackville,  where 
it  was  met  by  the  Cumberland  Committee  of  Safety,  who  freely  expressed 
their  uneasiness  at  the  smallness  of  the  force  and  its  lack  of  artillery  and 
supplies  ;  yet  in  the  hope  of  an  early  reinforcement  from  Maine,  they 
unanimously  joined  in  forwarding  the  campaign. 

A  scouting  party  having  reported  a  sloop  of  the  enemy  to  be  lying 
aground  on  the  flats  below  the  fort,  a  party  of  about  thirty  was  despatched 
to  capture  her.  After  a  difficult  march,  they  arrived  opposite  the  sloop, 
and  charged  across  the  flats  toward  the  vessel.  The  mud  was  so  soft  that 
they  sank  nearly  to  their  knees  at  every  step,  and  the  unmistakable  noise 
aroused  the  sentry,  who  at  once  alarmed  the  sergeant  of  the  guard,  though 
thick  fog  hid  thcui  from  view.  There  were  fifteen  or  more  men  on  board, 
completely  armed,  and  had  a  gun  been  fired,  it  would  in  a  few  minutes  have 
brought  the  garrison  from  the  fort  down  upon  the  adventurous  besiegers. 
On  coming  upon  deck,  the  sergeant  ordered  his  men  to  fire,  but  they  were 
told  by  the  leader  of  the  Americans,  who  overheard  the  order,  that  if  they 
fired  a  single  gun  every  man  of  them  should  be  put  to  death.  This  so 
frightened  the  poor  fellows  that  they  surrendered  without  any  further  effort 
for  defence.  As  the  retreating  tide  had  left  the  vessel  resting  on  the  mud, 
her  sides  were  so  high  that  the  captors  could  not  board  without  the  assist- 
ance of  the  conquered  guard,  who  let  down  ropes  for  them  to  climb  up  by. 

At  daybreak  the  remainder  of  the  force  arrived  in  a  schooner  and  their 
whale-boats.  Their  presence  was  still  concealed  by  the  fog,  and  as  .soon  as 
the  tide  had  risen  so  as  to  float  their  boats,  one  party  after  another  of  soldiers 
from  the  fort  came  out  to  the  sloop,  probably  to  convey  her  cargo  on  shore, 
for  she  proved  to  be  heavily  loaded  with  provisions  ;  as  fast  as  the  boat 
crews  came  on  board  they  were  made  prisoners  and  quietly  secured  below. 

The  sloop  at  length  began  to  float,  and  the  fog  breaking,  the  strange 
craft  were  discovered  by  the  garrison.     Perceiving  that  the  sloop  was  get- 


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490 


ACADIA    IN   THE    REVOLUTION 


ting  under  way,  instead  of  unloading,  it  dawned  upon  their  astonished  minds 
that  she  had  been  "  cut  out."  The  guns  of  the  fort  soon  opened  upon  her, 
while  a  detachment  of  some  sixty  men  marched  down  the  river  to  attack  the 
little  squadron.  IJut  the  vessels  had  a  fair  wind,  and  were  already  at  such 
distance  that  the  fire  upon  them  from  the  fort  effected  no  damage ;  and 
turning  toward  Fort  Lawrence,  on  the  opposite  shore,  they  were  beyond  t'lc 
reach  of  the  muskets.  Colonel  Eddy  here  landed  a  portion  of  the  stores  in 
order  to  lighten  the  vessels  for  ofifensive  operations.  Leaving  a  sufficient 
guard  at  the  fort,  the  main  portion  of  the  force  recrossed  to  the  Cumber- 
land side  of  the  river,  and  formed  a  camp  about  a  mile  below  the  fort. 

In  a  few  days  they  were  joined  by  a  sufficient  number  of  the  inhabitants 
to  swell  the  force  to  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  men.  After  detailing 
the  necessary  guards  for  the  outposts,  there  remained  some  eighty  men 
available  for  an  attack  upon  the  fort.  A  summons  to  surrender  was  sent  to 
the  commanding  officer,  but  it  was  met  by  a  prompt  refusal.  It  was  there- 
fore decided  to  make  an  assault. 

The  fort  embraced  about  an  acre  of  ground.  "  Its  intrenchment  was 
fifty  feet  in  width  ;  the  '^lope,  twenty-five  feet  ;  and  the  embankment  within, 
eighty  feet  in  height,  and  the  breadth  on  the  top,  four  feet "  (William- 
son's "  History  of  Maine,"  vol.  ii.,  p.  452).  On  the  outside  were  pickets, 
while  along  the  declivity  outside  of  them,  piles  of  heavy  logs  were  fixed, 
ready  at  a  touch  to  roll  down  upon  assailants  with  overwhelminr;  violence. 

The  night  of  the  12th  of  November  proving  cloudy  and  favorable  to  a 
secret  movement,  Colonel  Eddy  ordered  an  attack.  The  approach  was  made 
in  three  divisions,  one  of  which  attempted  to  ascend  the  bank  by  ladders, 
while  the  other  two  made  a  diversion  at  other  points.  But  the  garrison  was 
on  the  alert,  and  the  attack  was  repulsed  at  all  points.  Colonel  Eddy,  in 
a  letter  written  after  his  return,  says  that  there  were  about  one  hundred 
men  in  the  fort.  Murdoch  (see  his  "  History  of  Nova  Scotia,"  p.  577  cf 
seq.)  says  that  ihe  fort  at  Cumberland  was  at  this  time  "  garrisoned  by  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Gorham  and  his  Fencibles,  two  hundred  and  sixty  in  number. 
Of  these  the  rebels  surprised  and  made  prisoners  of  forty  privates  and  some 
non-commissioned  officers  from  the  outposts."  The  patriots,  howt-ver, 
maintained  their  position  before  the  enemy,  and  totally  cut  off  his  commu- 
nications, feeling  sure  of  taking  the  fort  on  the  arrival  of  the  expected  re- 
inforcements. 

On  the  25th  of  November  there  arrived  in  the  bay  a  man-of-war  from 
Halifax ;  and  on  the  following  day  she  landed  nearly  two  hundred  marines. 
Though  observing  this  reinforcement,  Colonel  Eddy  remained  in  his  camp 
until  the  night  of  the  30th,  when  he  was  surprised  and  driven  into  the  woods. 


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ACADIA   IN  THE    REVOLUTION 


49' 


The  stores  having  been  captured  or  destroyed,  the  Committee  of  Safety 
advised  a  retreat  to  St.  John,  which  was  accordingly  made,  and  Eddy's 
force  wintered  on  that  river. 

But  the  reduction  of  Fort  Cumberland  and  the  rescue  of  the  region  from 
Great  Britain  was  not  yet  given  up.  The  patriot  force  continued  to  be  aug- 
mented by  refugees  from  Cumberland,  while  the  man-of-war  had  returned 
to  Halifax,  leaving  only  some  three  hundred  men  at  the  fort ;  and  in  the 
spring  Colonel  Eddy  importuned  the  General  Court  for  supplies  and  a  rein- 
forcement of  two  hundred  men,  with  which  he  professed  the  ability  to 
reduce  the  garrison  by  investment.  A  treaty  had  also  been  made  with  the 
Indians  on  the  St.  John's,  and  in  the  course  of  the  season  it  was  extended 
to  the  Micmacs,  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  the  Quoddies,  in  Maine.  By  the  ex- 
cellent management  of  Colonel  John  Allan  (who  also  had  effected  these 
treaties)  the  tribes  were  retained  in  a  neutral  relation  throughout  the  war, 
though  the  British  made  great  efforts  to  draw  them  into  their  service.  The 
Penobscot,  Quoddy,  and  St.  John's  Indians,  with  whom  Allan  had  made 
a  defensive  alliance,  allowed  some  of  their  warriors  to  enlist  in  the  white 
companies  in  the  Federal  service.  In  this  employ  they  rendered  valuable 
aid,  at  least  on  the  occasion  of  the  British  attack  on  Machias,  in  August  of 
this  year  (1777). 

Before  spring,  however,  Colonel  Eddy's  force  seemS  to  have  been  wholly 
scattered,  and  the  entire  command  in  this  department  had  been  transferred 
to  Colonel  Allan.  In  February,  Allan  was  endeavoring,  by  authority  of 
the  Massachusetts  Council,  to  effect  an  exchange  of  prisoners  with  Colonel 
Gorham,  the  British  commander  at  Cumberland.  On  May  16,  1777,  Col- 
onel Allan  writes  from  Machias,  "  received  advices  that  the  ship  Vulture, 
of  fourteen  guns,  wns  at  St.  John,  lying  before  the  old  fort ;  that  the  armed 
sloop  Gage  had  gone  to  Cumberland  to  bring  troops  to  enable  the  gar- 
rison to  pursue  up  the  river."  The  Vulture  was  the  vessel  which  after- 
ward bore  such,  a  prominent  part  in  the  treason  of  Arnold. 

In  consequence  of  this  information,  Colonel  Allan,  on  the  30th  of  May, 
set  out  from  Machias  in  boats  for  St.  John.  Intelligence  reached  him  on 
the  way  that  the  British  vessels  had  departed,  but  he  continued  his  course, 
and,  after  a  brief  delay  at  Passamaquoddy,  arrived  in  safety  on  the  river  on 
the  2d  of  June.  Leaving  a  captain  and  lieutenant  with  twelve  men  to  guard 
the  falls  and  annoy  the  enemy,  should  any  come  to  repair  the  fort,  Colonel 
Allan  proceeded  up  the  river. 

Numerous  halts  were  made  on  the  way  to  cultivate  friendly  relations  with 
the  parties  of  Indians  who  were  frequently  met.  The  principal  settlement 
of  these  was  at  Aukpaque,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  about  seven 


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492 


ACADIA  IN  THE   REVOLUTION 


m 


miles  above  Frcdcricton.  On  Jcffrey'r.  map  the  name  is  spelled  "  Ock- 
puck."  The  word  indicates  a  beautiful  expansion  of  the  river.  There  are 
here  numerous  islands.  Upon  the  largest  of  these  (Sandous)  the  Indian 
fortifications  and  buildings  were  situated.  A  small  stream  enters  the  St. 
John  at  this  point. 

On  landing,  Colonel  Allan's  party  was  received  by  the  Indians  with  .; 
salute  of  musketry.  After  a  satisfactory  conference  and  needful  rest,  the 
force  retui-ned  to  the  mouth  of  the  river.  Here  they  made  prisoners  of 
two  traders  who  were  suspected  of  having  procured  the  visits  of  the  British 
vessels.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  had  been  pillaged  by  these  enemies,  and 
most  of  them  forced  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king.  As  they 
had  by  this  action  gone  on  record  as  sworn  subjects  of  the  king,  and  were 
dejected  and  fluctuating.  Colonel  Allan  forbore  co  enter  any  of  their  houses 
or  to  encamp  near  them,  lest  he  should  compromise  them  with  the  royal 
government. 

On  the  8th  of  June  intelligence  was  received  by  Allan  of  the  capture  by 
West,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river,  of  a  schooner  from  Halifax,  with  a  valu- 
able  cargo,  which  he  sent  to  Machias  for  safety.  On  the  tenth,  Colonel 
Shaw,  with  forty-five  men  from  Machias,  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
On  the  eleventh,  the  sloop  of  war  Vulture  again  came  into  the  harbor,  ac- 
companied by  a  smaller  sloop,  carrying  supplies.  The  intrepid  West  boarded 
the  supply  vessel  and  would  have  overcome  her,  but  such  numbers  ap- 
peared setting  out  from  the  ship  that  he  thought  best  to  give  up  the  at- 
tempt. Yet  the  British  were  quite  intimidated  by  this  action,  and  left  the 
harbor  the  next  day. 

On  the  24th  of  June  Colonel  Allan  writes  urgently  for  three  or  four  hun- 
dred men  to  defend  the  river  and  to  rescue  the  oppressed  people  of  Cum- 
berland. A  few  days  later  there  arrived  in  the  harbor  a  squadron  of  the 
enemy,  consisting  of  the  ship  Mermaid,  of  thirty-six  guns,  and  the  sloops 
Vulture  and  Hope,  with  their  tenders,  detached  from  Sir  George  Collier's 
fleet  to  operate  with  the  force  at  Cumberland  against  the  patriots  in  that  re- 
gion, and  on  the  St.  John. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  June,  the  guard  stationed  on  the 
"  Reach,"  a  short  distance  above  Grand  Bay,  saw  a  barge  coming  up  from 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  shortly  after  they  discovered  seven  others 
lying  on  their  oars  about  a  mile  distant.  Information  was  immediately  sent 
to  the  main  body  of  the  American  force,  which  at  once  retired  up  the  river, 
leaving  Captain  Dyer  with  a  dozen  men  to  observe  the  movements  of  the 
enemy.  The  company  in  boats  soon  landed,  to  the  number  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty.     Captain  Dyer  allowed  them  to  come  within  good  mus- 


If  V-    ' 


fciW.    ml'  'ii.lina.   MKX-^Wi 


ACADIA   IN  THE   REVOLUTION 


493 


ket  shot,  then  fired  and  retreated.  On  tlie  retreat  they  fell  in  with  the 
flank  guard,  who  fired  upon  them  at  ten  or  twelve  yards  (hstancc,  killing 
three  and  wounding  two  more.  Captain  Dyer  immediately  rotreatcil  up  the 
river,  taking  with  him  his  wounded  men.  The  British  loss  in  this  skirmish 
was  six  killed  and  wounded. 

The  two  British  ships  from  New  York,  the  Mermaid  and  the  Ambuscade 
(32  guns),  with  a  third  vessel,  were  ordered  to  cruise  between  Machias  Har- 
bor and  Mount  Desert,  to  intercept  the  Americans  on  their  way  eastward. 
Troops  to  the  number  of  three  hundred  now  set  off  up  the  river  in  pursuit 
of  the  patriots,  with  special  orders  to  capture  Colonel  Allan,  for  whom,  dead 
or  alive,  a  reward  of  four  hundred  dollars  was  offered. 

Allan  was  at  this  time  at  Maugerville  with  the  Indians,  ami  he  at  once 
removed  with  them  further  up  the  river.  Between  him  and  the  British  force 
was  a  part  of  two  companies  under  Captains  Dyer  and  West,  and  on 
the  3d  of  July  Colonel  Allan  gave  these  the  permission,  which  they  had 
asked,  to  retire  to  Maine  by  way  of  Passamaquoddy.  They  were  closely 
followed  in  this  retreat  by  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  ;  but  from  this  time 
we  hear  no  more  of  thern  in  New  Brunswick. 

The  British  force  now  turned  up  the  river,  searching  at  every  point  for 
refugees  from  Cumberland,  and  for  Colonel  Allan.  Wherever  they  could 
learn  of  an  inhabitant  who  had  furnished  food  or  shelter  to  the  Americans, 
they  seized  his  goods  and  burned  his  buildings.  The  Cumberland  people, 
finding  that  there  would  be  no  safety  for  them  on  the  St.  John,  a  few  days 
later,  guided  by  the  Indians  and  the  friendly  Acadians  resident  upon  the 
river,  retired  by  the  way  of  the  Schoodic  lakes  to  the  coast  of  Maine. 

Colonel  Allan  now  kept  closely  to  the  Indians,  in  order  to  secure  their 
continued  adhesion  to  the  American  cause,  and  leaving  Aukpaque,  they 
retired  to  the  French  settlements  a  few  miles  farther  up  the  river.  The  lat- 
ter people  were  those  Acadians  who,  in  1755,  fled  from  their  homes  about 
the  Basin  of  Minas  in  order  to  escape  transportation  by  victorious  Britain. 
They  were  ever  found  friendly  to  the  American  cause  ;  and  they  were  now 
ready  and  desirous  of  aiding  Colonel  Allan  to  the  extent  of  their  means, 
though  at  the  risk  of  their  own  safety. 

The  British  superintendent  of  Indians  in  Acadia,  amply  supplied  with 
the  means  usually  required  to  secure  their  attachment,  was  assiduous  in  his 
efforts  to  gain  them  over,  ofifering  pardon  for  past  offences  and  security 
from  all  harm  to  such  as  would  abandon  their  connection  with  the  patriots. 
A  document  long  in  the  hands  of  the  High  Sheriff  of  St,  John  County,  N.  B., 
is  an  invoice  of  supplies  sent  the  Indian  agent  at  a  certain  date.  It  has  a 
Hst  of  seventeen  different  kinds  of  articles  suitable  to  savage  wants,  and  in 


11 


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II' 


I 


494 


ACADIA   IN  THE  REVOLUTION 


large  quantities.  He  also  had  the  aid  of  a  Romish  priest,  whose  influence 
was  very  f^reat  with  those  rude  yet  reverential  children  of  tlie  forest ;  but 
thoiifjh  the  Indians  availed  themselves  of  the  priest's  professional  services, 
they  would  not  yield  to  liis  solicitations  to  unite  themselves  to  the  Hritish 
cause.  The  Micmacs,  in  Nova  Scotia,  even  were  only  partially  won  over, 
while  all  the  favor  the  enemy  obtained  from  the  other  tribes  was  their  neu- 
trality, and  protection  to  the  British  crews  while  en[,'«'igcd  in  cutting  masts 
on  the  streams  emptying  into  Passamaquoddy  Bay. 

On  the  patriot  side.  Colonel  Allan,  at  all  times  almost  empty-handed, 
made  hazardous  journeys  to  their  settlements  or  to  other  localities  appoint- 
ed for  conferences  with  the  Marachites,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  New  Ikuns- 
wick,  and  the  Micmacs  of  Nova  Scotia.  On  account  of  the  non-arrival  of 
promised  supplies  he  many  times  found  it  necessary  to  leave  his  two  boys, 
aged  respectively  eleven  and  thirteen  years,  as  hostages  with  one  or  the 
other  of  the  eastern  tribes  for  months  together. 

It  was  chiefly  by  their  personal  regard  for  him  that  Allan  was  able  to 
hold  these  tribes  so  long  and  against  such  odds.  An  incident  or  two  will 
illustrate  their  devotion  to  him.  The  British  were  very  bitter  against  him, 
and  for  years  a  price  was  set  upon  his  head.  The  soldiers  and  even  civil- 
ians sought,  at  every  opportunity,  to  take  him,  dead  or  alive.  As  might  be 
supposed,  all  dissatisfied  Indians  were  incited  against  him,  by  whom  his  life 
was  attempted  repeatedly.  One  day,  while  sitting  at  the  table  in  his  room 
busy  with  some  papers,  an  Indian  acquaintance  of  the  family  entered.  A 
few  words  were  exchanged,  and  while  the  other  members  of  the  family  were 
conversing  with  the  colonel,  the  Indian,  instead  of  going  out,  slipped  un- 
noticed behind  the  v/ide  open  door.  Presently  another  Indian — a  power- 
ful savage  of  the  Micmac  tribe — strode  into  the  room,  and  directly  up  to 
Colonel  Allan,  who  was  seated  in  such  a  way  that  he  could  not  readily  rise. 

The  Indian  drew  his  long  hunting  knife,  and  brandished  it  in  the 
air,  the  blow  probably  delayed  a  little  by  the  steady  eye  of  Allan  fixed 
upon  him.  Before  the  blow  could  fall  the  hidden  Indian  sprang  forward 
and  felled  the  intended  assassin  to  the  floor.  The  treatment  of  the  offender 
was  very  merciful.  By  Allan's  direction  he  was  simply  deprived  of  his 
weapons,  placed  in  his  own  canoe,  and  started  toward  home. 

At  another  time,  when  Colonel  Allan  was  confined  to  his  room  with  the 
gout,  some  members  of  the  tribe  he  was  with  learned  of  a  plan  of  the  British 
to  capture  him  while  in  this  condition,  and  they  at  once  wrapped  him  up 
in  blankets  and  carried  him  to  a  remote  place  in  the  woods. 

But  it  was  not  the  Indians  alone  who  were  attached  to  him.  The  cap- 
tain of  an  English  merchant  vessel  one  day  sent  a  polite  note,  inviting  him 


-UnitMlMlfMAU^ 


y'liriiteiJjyiiiyiiiiyriitfMif'rtafiiir'iiii^-gii-ii 


J- 


cap- 
C  him 


ACADIA    IN  Tin:   REVOLUTION 


495 


to  dinner  on  board  his  vessel,  in  remembrance  of  form:;r  times.  This  inci- 
dent appears  to  have  occurred  on  the  St.  Croix  River,  where  the  Indians  liad 
guaranteed  a  certain  degree  of  piotC':tion  to  l^ritisli  vessels.  Colonel  Alhm  was 
pleased  with  the  captain's  courtesy,  and  was  about  setting  out,  when  Captain 
Uycr,  who  suspected  treachery,  beggod  that  he  might  gf)  instead  of  liis  supe- 
rior. The  Colonel  refused  at  first,  but  finally  consented.  Dyer  proceeded 
to  the  vessel,  and  no  sooner  was  he  on  deck  than  the  perfidious  captain  cried 
in  exultation,  "  Now,  thank  God,  i  have  got  you,  you rebgl !  " 

"  No,  you  haven't  got  him,"  replied  the  brave  Dyer;  "  you've  only  got  me." 

The  enraged  Englishman  took  Captain  Dyer  to  Halifax,  where  this  gen- 
erous and  devoted  friend  remained  a  prisoner  of  war  until  his  death. 

At  length  the  St.  John's  tribe,  his  chief  lever  for  influencing  the  more 
eastern,  were  so  closely  pressed  on  one  side  by  the  military  power  of  the 
British,  and  on  the  other  by  the  tempting  gifts  and  stores  of  Mr.  Franklin, 
their  agent,  that  Allan  decided  to  retire  with  them  to  Maine.  Accordingly 
the  whole  body  of  the  St.  John's  tribe,  says  Allan,  "  to  the  nmnber  of  128 
canoes,  containing  near  500  men,  women  and  children,  left  the  river  with 
me,  .  .  .  only  a  few  families  remaining  to  keep  up  a  claim  and  give  intelli- 
gence, when  there  was  not  more  than  a  week's  provisions  for  the  whole. 
They  left  their  little  plantations  well  improved  (and  a  good  prospect)  with  a 
great  part  of  their  clothing,  and  after  28  days'  journey,  arrived  at  Machias, 
suffering  many  hardships  and  difficulties  by  the  excessive  heat  and  the  low- 
ness  of  the  streams,  which  greatly  obstructed  the  canoes,"  This  journey 
was  made  in  July  and  August,  1777. 

From  this  time  until  the  close  of  the  var  Colonel  Allan  and  his  wild 
wards  remained  mostly  at  Machias  and  St.  Andrew's  Point  (the  latter  near 
the  head  of  Passamaquoddy  Bay)  small  parties  of  the  Indians  frequently  mali- 
ing  trips  eastward,  to  keep  up  a  friendly  association  with  the  other  tribes. 

This  narrative,  evolved  chiefly  from  the  mass  of  documents  found  in  Mr. 
Kidder's  valuable  collection,  gives,  I  think,  a  fair  and  perhaps  a  sufficiently 
complete  view  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle  in  our  neighboring  provinces 
in  the  northeast.  Our  relations  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Acadian  region, 
during  the  century  just  closing,  have  been  very  intimate,  and  it  is  to  be 
doubted  whether  there  has  been  for  a  considerable  time  other  than  friendly 
feelings  between  the  masses  of  the  people  in  our  contiguous  territories,  who 
came  so  near  being  of  the  same  nation.  If  some  portion  of  the  citizens  of 
each  have  at  times  been  inflamed  against  those  in  the  other,  it  must  be 
attributed  to  the  conflicting  interests  of  the  two  great  empires  to  which  we 
respectively  belong,  rather  than  to  any  civil  incompatibility  or  persona! 
dislike.  GEORGE  J.  VARNEY 


I 


mi&u: 


I, 


■  ■-.v.ii^Sj^;s^(^3«ite4a*ifcft*»«»«^'-***"'^'^ 


